Kriticality
by InuWan
Summary: Isn't true love sweet?


Boy, isn't _this_ just great. Wouldn't you agree?

What, you don't know what _this_ is? The power, the freedom? I wonder how many people have felt this way in their life. Unlocked; free to do whatever they want. Say whatever they want. _Be_ whatever they want...

I'm sure many don't. I didn't for the longest time. Poor, innocent, sweet hearted me, huh? I'd love to blame someone else, a _certain_ someone else, but that would just be petty, right? Even if he is evil. Maybe that's too far for him. Toxic; better.

In a sense, he opened my eyes; I'm grateful for that. Thinking back on it now fills my heart with disgust. Vile, coalescing disgust. The kind that I can't ignore. I'm appalled, truthfully. Appalled of myself.

I wasn't supposed to get trapped in that crystal, was I? The crystal that took away my independence. But it's gone now. That Krystal is gone. The memories, not so much...

* * *

The blue maiden stood — rested? Existed? Who knows — afloat in her prison. Time flowing so slow, yet passing in an instant. Even through that convoluted mess, she could see through to the other side. Those piercing, stunning, emerald eyes. Excitement, happiness, attraction, she could feel it all.

 _I'm saved!_ She thought. _Someone's here!_ She thought. _My prince!_ She thought. The compassion seeped into her from the other side of her glass cage, warming her soul. His dreamy eyes...

Little did she know, she was the one trapped in a dream.

He saved her. Just like she thought he would. Giddiness running through her body, she took a moment to observe him. The first thing that stood out were his green eyes, a look of pride and strength, just by existing he asserted his dominance. Strong posture, too; muscles clearly defined below his silky fur.

How could she be attracted to _that?_

She was blind, of course. Mistakenly taking the venomous miasma in his eyes for a pure, life filled orb of joy. It enticed her.

 _She fell right into the trap._

She had little knowledge of this world, only barely grasping their method of communication through her telepathy. Someone would have to teach her. _Why not him?_ The idea popping to her mind as her body shuddered in anticipation. Learning had always been fun for her. It's always good to learn.

Days flitting into weeks into months blurring together in a jumbled mess. The jig-saw pieces were there, she just couldn't fit them back together again.

"No, Krys. You gotta do it like this." His hand graced hers, guiding her flight simultaneous to the shivers up her spine. "There you go! You're getting it!" Slowly learning to fly, she couldn't see the mockery through her elation.

"Come check this out!" He firmly grasped her hand in his own, dragging her along the bumbling streets of Corneria. Gentle smiles from adults passing by. _We must look like a couple._ A vehement thought in her mind. She was met with an overbearing golden statue of a fox. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"S-stunning! Is that you?" He was _this_ famous?

"No, but your close. This is of my dad; you can tell because of the shades."

Sure enough, an onyx tinted lens rested above the man's snout. What did that matter, though? Who cares, really? It just seemed like some cheap cop-out to easily distinguish the two, but what did she know? They looked so similar. _I guess he doesn't wear glasses?_ She kicked the floor idly.

"How much did this cost? Do you know?"

"No clue, but it must be a lot, right? They made it without me knowing." His pride was palpable, eyes fixed upon the glaring monument. It shined with a serene beauty, gracing the others with it's light. "I'm going to live up to his expectations, carry on his legacy." A strong grin fixed on his face.

A seemingly amiable sight; as she seemingly fell deeper into the deep abyss of 'love'. There was no greed in his eyes, no arrogance in his voice, no mockery of affection as he clutched his red garment...

He dragged her off later to a posh restaurant, she assumed, using his status to provide them the luxury. All for her, he would do anything. She was sure on that; he'd already saved her life. Smiling in earnest, she forgot the entire world was there. It was just those two, his smooth voice harmonious with the thumping of her heart.

She'd forgotten that she was supposed to help Slippy with his projects. Wasn't she also supposed to go talk to Pepper to get her flight license?

Oh, that's right, that's why he'd dragged her off. It was a celebration!

 _Hooray..._

These things were coming much more frequently to her. 'Dates', he called them. Sure, they were dates, but so was every other day. Isn't that where the word came from? Occasional hand holding became much more common. Infrequent pleasantries became frequent.

"You know, Krys, I think... I love you." He blurted, staring into her eyes under the starlit night. It was unexpected, and she had no clue what this 'love' entailed, and yet it made her heart flutter all the while.

"L-love?" Tilting her head, she gazed back 'lovingly'.

"You know, it's when you care about someone. You love them if you'd do anything for them. Do you, do you love me?"

"I-I..."

Inquiring eyes pierced her, forcing an answer out of idiotic choice.

"I think I love you too..."

Grinning from ear to ear, he jumped up, enveloping her with his arms. The soft, silky, _slimy_ fur running against her own as his heart beat banged against her chest. It felt strange, something she had experienced before, _uncomfortable._

The same feeling she had experienced in that crystal. "F-pl-ca..."

His lips touched her own in a way no other had before — _abruptly_. Sapphire spheres shot wide open, taking sight of the blissful lids in front of her. She was shaking.

He separated after a minute, an agonising minute, one eyebrow raised in question. "Krys, are you ok?" Asking in faux concern. Of course he didn't care; if he did he wouldn't have done so to begin with.

"Y-yeah, just inexperienced..." She pushed her fingers against her lips, swiping slowly to the foreign taste.

"Aw, I'm your first boyfriend?" He bashfully... Smiled. "It's ok, I'll teach you how relationships go."

A trigger word she hadn't noticed at the time. 'Teach'. Should such a thing need _teaching?_

No.

No no no no no...

Not at all.

It got worse.

She was trapped.

She was freed.

Happiness was in sight.

That's something all those romance novels are all about now, right? It's _all_ the rage in this society. _Romance._ Sure, the ' _damsel in distress_ ' trope she'd come to know had everyone hooked! Reading was always fun to her, she could learn.

But this just sickened her.

Remember when she was freed?

She doesn't... Because she _wasn't._ It took a moment of retrospective analysis to realise — no not a moment. Nearly a decade.

A decade of happiness.

A decade of sorrow.

A decade of what, exactly?

A decade of Fox.

"Oh, you like this book, too?" A chipper young vulpine, few years her junior, approached her. "I love reading these sorts of stuff! The science behind it all, the thought of it is just... Ah! It's the best!" Happy about something he loved, it was admirable. She couldn't help the smile forming on her face.

"Right? Especially with how the author writes it, it makes you feel like it's an actual world, with people you can sympathise and understand!"

"Completely!" Tail whipping up a storm behind him, the white fox continued. "But have you ever wondered, what it might be like if some different things happened?"

"Now that you mention it, I noticed I've been doing it a lot..." She sighed, rubbing her red cheeks. "I've only just finished chapter 14, but what would've happened if chapter 11 was different? I feel it could have it's own story, with an alternate view."

"Is that the one with the big fight?!" She nodded apprehensively, trying not to excite the adorable fox further. "I thought so too! Even if the story goes one way, and it is written extremely well, I also love how so many other things could be reimagined!"

"Is there any other books like this you've read? I'd love to know more; I've been running a bit short recently."

"Oh yeah! I could give you my number, if you want, and we can—"

"Listen bud, she's already got a boyfriend." Fox piped up, interrupting the snow fox's invitation.

"Oh, that's cool. Anyway, I ca—"

"Listen, _bud._ I'm her boyfriend." His eyes narrowed at the other possessively.

"Yeah, I guessed, but tha—"

"She doesn't want your number. I'm her boyfriend, she doesn't want to flit around with other people."

"Actually, I'd lo—" Fox's hand grasped her own, stopping her mid-sentence. The other man walked off, a dejected look in his eye.

"Why couldn't I talk to him? He seemed like a great guy..." Krystal looked down, avoiding his imposing glare.

"It's just, I'm scared for you, okay? I don't want anyone trying to steal you away from me, your beauty attracts all type of people..."

It felt awful, being told that. Not because he really wanted to be with her, and didn't want her to leave him, nothing that sentimental at all.

 _Steal_ you away... Was she an object to be stolen?

Was she just a _possession_ to him? A 'beautiful' girlfriend who he could say was _his_? Aren't relationships supposed to be _mutual_?

It continues.

It gets worse.

Sorrow welling,

agony,

vanity,

expedience.

Monster,

everyone sees...

But they do nothing.

She had to do something about it herself.

* * *

Out in the confines of space, the Star Fox team flew into battle one again. Pirates, the usual enemy to such a virtuous team such as them. She's itching. Her hand on the trigger, ready for their assault...

Or, to be more precise, her assault.

Vital memories flitted back into her mind, as she grinned.

" _So, what's this?" She inquired._

" _Oh, that? That's the canon; our main weapon. It's really strong, built to be able to fight anything!" Fox announced, marvelling at the structure._

 _Well, if that's the main weapon, first thing I should do is break it!_ Her ship whipped around rapidly, firing a few consecutive shots at the canon followed by a smart bomb, rendering it useless.

"Krystal?! What the hell are you doing?!" Fox shouted at her, blaring on her screens. He was _pissed._ That's good.

"What the hell am _I_ doing? What the hell are _you_ doing? What's wrong with _you?!"_ She replied, searing rage hidden under her soft accent. "I'm done." To accentuate this, she sped off towards the pirates as they surprisingly didn't fire at her.

"You— what?! You can't leave us! Star Fox is your future, I love you! Why are you going?"

"You have some serious problems, Fox. The fact it took me this long is baffling." I laughed bitterly to myself. "You're never going to see me again." Closing all communications, I escaped to the planets surface. I managed to take command back over my life. They could die, for all I care.

The name, _Krystal,_ had represented my life perfectly; Trapped in that crystal. No more, Krystal is gone. This overbearing toxicity is gone. My name is gone. The curse is gone. Kursed; a name in faux irony, a rebuttal to the irony prior.

Oh, it feels good.

 _So good._

I get to start from zero. Make a new life for myself, make a new story for myself. What can anyone else do about it now? I've chosen this. It's time for me to do something new; a new adventure. Perhaps I'll find love?

Haha...


End file.
